Heritage Cases

This application deals with sixty-six (66) graves located on the Farms Overysel 815 LR and Zwartfontein 818 LR which will be affected by mining activities within the Mogalakwena project area. The graves are to be moved to existing formal cemeteries or informal traditional areas as selected by the next-of-kin. We will be assisted on this project by local service providers. The stakeholder engagement process, to identify the closest next of kin for the graves commenced on 23 October 2019. The Traditional Authorities are also consulted in the process. Of the 66 graves in this application 8 graves are older than 60 years as identified by the next-of-kin and the dates of 42 graves are not known by the next-of-kin they will therefore also be regarded as older than 60 years as per the National Heritage Resources Act (25 of 1999). The next-of-kin of the affected graves were contacted by Anglo-American Mogalakwena and the need for the graves to be relocated has been explained to them with the assistance of PGS Heritage. They consequently gave written permission (in the form of affidavits) for the graves to be relocated. Additional to this, the following action was taken: • The grave was marked and numbered; • A graves register was compiled; • Bilingual site notices announcing the intention to relocate the graves were erected at the gravesites that should stay up for a period of 60 days; • Bilingual newspaper notices announcing the intention to relocate the graves were published in the Daily Mail, Bosvelder, Mogalakwena Times and Government Gazette which will give notice for a period of 30 days for responses. It must be mentioned that Anglo-American Mogalakwena has been in continuous contact with the next-of-kin of the affected graves and they are fully aware of the relocation process. Please take note that there are approximately 207 graves located on the project area scheduled for relocation so more applications regarding this project will follow.